Respirator



July 14, 1959 R. L. MILES ETAL RESPIRATOR 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed May 18,1956 IN V EN TORS Roierzf L. Mi/es p" Wa/nwrv'y/ri DawSv A T TUR NE Y R.L. MILES ET AL July '14, 1959 RESPIRATOR 2 Shaets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18,l956 INVENTORJ Raerz L, Mi/es "a Wainwn'yb 2 ,Da wson United StatesPatent-O RESPIRATOR Robert L. Miles, Glen Burnie, and Wainwright Dawson,Pikesville, Md.

Application May 18, 1956, Serial No. 585,762

12 Claims. (Cl. 128-146) Our invention relates to oronasal respiratorsof the type wherein air is supplied to the interior thereof underpressure and is exhausted therefrom through an outlet port and exhaustvalve. Such respirators are highly efficient within their limits butmake no provision for protecting the eyes or the other exposed portionsof the face from hot or noxious fumes which are incident to many weldingor cutting operations which use a torch or an electric arc. Suchoperations require the addition of goggles which afford but limitedadditional protection or the addition of a welders helmet which offersbetter protection. However, a welders helmet is extremely hot to Wearand its eye shield usually becomes fogged from heat and humidity. Alsoas such helmets are spaced from the face on all sides, they do not offercomplete protection from fumes.

This application comprises a continuation-in-part of our copendingapplication filed July 13, 1955, Serial Number 521,701, now abandoned.

We are aware that attempts have been made to avoid these last objectionsby supplying air under pressure to the interior of welders helmets butsuch devices fail to give complete protection against noxious fumes andeven tend to draw them into the helmet. Also, such helmets require theuse of an oronasal respirator and dual connections with the air supplyare needed. Thus, the operator is weighted down with two air hoses andneeds a special welders helmet.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of our invention to providean improved oronasal respirator which includes means for supplying airto the interior thereof and which simultaneously maintains an atmosphereof fresh air over the wearers face.

A further object is to provide a novel attachment which is readilyattached to a standard oronasal dust mask or the like, which attachmentincludes means for directing a supply of air under pressure to theinterior of the respirator while simultaneously directing a secondsupply of said under pressure forwardly and laterally of the respiratorso as to form and maintain an atmosphere of fresh air over the wearersface.

A further object is to provide a novel attachment in the form of anadaptor fitting which connects the air supply conduit to the respirator,such fitting including means for supplying air to the respiratorinterior and also means for forming an air screen in front of thewearers face, means being provided for readily detachably connecting thefitting to a standard respirator without any modification of the latter.

A further object is to provide in combination with an oronasalrespirator, novel air manifold means which simultaneously furnishes asupply of air to the respirator while utilizing a second body of air toform and maintain an atmosphere of fresh air about the face of thewearer.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structures of theseveral species of the invention, in the several elements comprisingeach, combinations and subcombinations of such elements, all of whichwill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference tothe attached drawing in connection with the fol lowing specificationwherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention, showing thesame attached to a conventional mask;

Figure 2 is a plan view of this species of the invention apart from themask;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, transverse, vertical sectional view on asmaller scale, taken substantially on the planes of the lines 4-4 ofFigure 2, but showing the device attached to the mask;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified species of the invention;

Figure 6 is a transverse, vertical sectional View of the modificationtaken substantially on the plane of the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a blank for forming the species of theFigures 5 and 6;

Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of a further modified form ofthe invention and a standard oronasal mask to which it is to be applied;

Figure 9 is a rear View of this form of the invention showing the sameapart from the respirator;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantiallyon the plane of the line 10-10 of Figure 9, the device being shownapplied to the respirator; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view taken from the rear andshowing a further modification.

Referring specifically to the drawing, wherein like reference charactersdesignate like parts in all views and referring at first to the speciesof invention of Figures 1-4, inclusive, 10 designates generally anysuitable oronasal mask which may be of well known construction. Asillustrated, the mask 10 includes a cup portion 11 which encloses thenose and mouth of the wearer and a marginal gasket 12 of softelastomer-ic material in the nature of foam rubber for sealing the jointbetween the cup 11 and the wearers face. The mask or respirator 10 issecured to the face in any suitable manner as by the elastic head straps13. The cup 11 is also provided with an air exhaust port 14 which may beprovided with any suitable check valve such as the flap valve 15. Theshell 10 also includes a floor 16, Figure 4, formed with two laterallyspaced inlet ports 17, only one of which is shown. One inlet port 17 islocated below each nostril of' the wearer. Obviously a single largeinlet port would suflice. As so far described the device is conventionaland forms no part of the invention except as combined with. the elementsnow to be described.

In the form of the invention of Figures 1-4, there has been provided anupper manifold 20 which preferably is' of flat configuration andhorizontally disposed. Mani- (fold 20 includes a top wall 21 which ishorizontally disposed below the floor 16. The top wall 21 is spacedlfrom the floor 16 by a sealing gasket 18 which is formed;

with inlet ports 19 only one of which is shown which. register with theports 17 aforesaid. The top wall 211 and gasket 18 are secured to thefloor 16 in any suitable manner as by the screws 22 which seat inthreaded holes in top wall 21. The top wall 21 is formed with a pair oflaterally spaced ports 23 which register with the ports 17 and 19 in thefioor 16 and gasket 18 respectively to provide open communicationbetween the manifold 20 and the interior of the cup 11. The ports 23 maybe and preferably are screened with fine wire mesh 24. The interior ofmanifold 20 may be filled with any suitable air filtering media such asthe fibrous material shown more or lessdiagrammatically at 25.

'Airunder pressure/is supplied tothe-mam'fold 20 by aconduit 26 whichopens into the manifold through an end wall thereof. The-conduit-26isreadily detachably connectedtoan air supply pipe, hose or-the-like 27which is connected to any suitable supply ofair-under pressure, notshown. It is to be understood thatthe-wearer of the respiratorhas readyaccess to a suitable air valve for controlling theamountand pressure ofthe air supplied to the respirator. Such a valve is showndiagrammatically at 9, Figure- 1.

A branch conduit 28 of the conduit 26opens into and supplies air to theinterior of a second manifold 35) disposed below the manifold 20. Themanifold 39 is of narrowform and is vertically disposed beneath themanifoldZO. The top wall 31 of the manifold 30 is fixedly secured to thebottom wall 29 of theupper manifold 20 in any suitable manner as bybeing soldered, brazed or Welded thereto. If desired, the interior ofthe lower manifold 30 may be filled with any suitable air filtering ordiffusing material 32. The lower manifold 30 includes a front Wall 33which is formed with a plurality of relatively small holes or outletports 34 through which the air supplied through the branch conduit 28escapes. Ports 34 may be screened with reticulated fabric 35 if desired.

In operation, air under pressure enters both manifolds 20 and 30 throughthe pipe 27, conduit 26 and branch conduit '28. The air which enters theupper manifold 24 passes to the respirator interior through the inletports 23, 1% and 17 aforesaid to keep the wearersupplied with fresh airand to cool that portion of the wearers face which is enclosed by thecup 11. Surplus air and exhaled breath escape from the cup 11 throughthe exhaust port 14- and its check valve 15. The air which enters thelower manifold 30 is diffused by the fibrous material 32 which causesthe air to escape uniformly through all of the ports 34. Such escapingair fans out to form an atmosphere of fresh, cool air which lies overand protects the face of the wearer, particularly his eyes, from fumeswhich are heated, noxious or otherwise undesirable. When the device isworn beneath a welders helmet it keeps the interior of the helmet filledwith fresh air with out requiring two air hoses of other specialequipment 01' connections. Thus, if a portion of a job requires awelders helmet and a portion does not, the wearer of the respirator needdo no more than put on the helmet when he needs it and remove it When hedoes not without any delay or further adjustment of the respirator. Atmost, the wearer would only have to adjust the air supply by means ofthe valve 9, which as aforesaid, is always within reach of the user.

The constant supply of air from the manifold 3i? prevents fogging of theeyepiece of the helmet and is fanned out laterally and vertically in alldirections by the helmet wall. It exhausts around all edges of thehelmet wall to prevent the entry of undesirable fumes.

In the species. of Figures -7, there has been provided a single manifold40 which is vertically disposed below the floor 16 of the cup 11 andrigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner such as by the screws 22of the first described form of the invention. A horizontal partition 41divides the manifold 4-0 into upper and lower chambers 42 and 43respectively to which air under pressure is supplied by conduit 44 andbranch conduit 45. Both chambers 42 and 4-3 may be filled with filteringa difiusing media 46. The manifold 46 has a front wall 47 the lowerportion of which is formed with a plurality of small outlet ports 48through which the air escapes which has been supplied through the branchconduit 45 to the lower chamber 43. The ports 48 open only into thelower chamber or compartment 43. The air escaping through the ports 48forms an atmosphere .of fresh air over the wearers face in the samemanner as in the first form of the invention.

The manifold 40 has a top wall 52 which is formed with spaced ports 4hwhich may be screened with reticulated material 50. Threaded holes 51are formed in the top wall 52 to receive the screws 22 for securing themanifold 40 to the cup 11. The operation of this form of the inventionis the same as that of the species of Figures 1-4.

Obviously the upper and lower chambers or compartments 42 and 43 amountto and correspond to the two manifolds 20 and 30 of the first species.However, the arrangement here is superior in some ways in that it can bestamped from a single blank as is clearly shown in Figure 7. Even thepartition 41 can be initially a part of the single blank being cut offlater and trimmed to the proper size and shape. It is clear, therefore,that this form of :the invention can be readily formed .by the use ofsimple dies, jigs and the like without the use of special tools orspecial skills. The holes 44 and 45 for the conduits Maud v l! maylbepreformed in the blank together with'the holes 51 andports 48 and 49.

Theform of invention of Figures 8 to 10, comprises a fitting whichisattachable to a standard oronasal respirator .withlittleor nomodification of the latter. Thus, designatesa standard air line maskhaving a cup 61, an inlet fitting 62 on .the bottom thereof and anoutlet valve 63 onthe center front of the same. Such outlet valvefitting63 includes a valve cover 64 on the outside of the cup 61, whichcover has a narrow cylindrical side wall formed with exhaustports 65therein which form the sole outlets for the fitting. Any suitableexhaust valve, such as thetfiexible disc flap valve 63a, is contained inthe outlet valve fitting 63.

In this form of the invention, the air supply line 66 is connected tothe inlet fitting 62 by an adapter fitting 67 which comprises a tubularstem 68 which is readily detachably connected to the line-66 in anysuitable manner, not shown. The fitting 67 includes two tubular branch,conduits69, and '70 which are preferably of equal size or capacity andpreferably diverge symmetrically from the stem conduit 63 so-that equalamounts of air from the line 66 go through each branch conduit.

The branch conduit 6% isoperatively connected to the air inlet fitting62 of the mask- 60 in any suitable manner, not shown, tosupply air'underpressure to the interior thereof. The other branch conduit 76 extendsupwardly toward the exhaust fitting 63 and includes means for forming anair screen before the face of the wearer. In the embodimentillustrated,.such means comprises a manifold 71 fixed to'the upper endof branch conduit 76.

The manifold 71 is cylindrical in form to conform substantially'in sizeand shape to the exhaust fitting cover 64. The manifold 71 is hollow andincludes an imper vious, cylindricalside wall 73 which is operativelysecured to the branch conduit 7 0 and a front wall 74 which is formedwith a suitable number of air-screen forming ports or perforations 75.The side wall '73 of the manifold 71 includes suitable means such as thedeformable tabs 76 which are hooked onto the exhaust valve cover 64through the outlet ports 65 in a manner readily understood.

The sidewall 73 of the manifold 71 is sized and shaped to fit closelyover the valve fitting cover 64. It is provided also withradiallyinwardly directed tabs 77 which are located slightly axiallyinwardly of the free edge of the side wall 73, Figures 8 and 10, so asto provide stops which limit the telescoping of the manifold 71 andvalve fitting cover 64. Thus, the branch conduit is readily detachablyconnected to the cover 64 so that twisting of the line 66 is preventedand the connection between the branch conduit ,67 and inlet fitting 62is relieved of strains. Likewise, of course, this serves to anchor themanifold 71 centrally of the mask 69 which is an ideal location for theformation of an air screen before the face of the wearer. If desired theside wall 73 of manifold 71 may be formed with perforations to insureradial distribution of some of the screen-forming air.

In the form of the invention of Figure 11, an adapter fitting 80 verylike the fitting 67 has been provided. Here, however, the manifold 81 isfitted with an impervious rear wall 82 which is permanently secured tothe side wall 83 in any suitable manner as by brazing. Such rear wallbears on the front surface of the exhaust valve cover 64 and theassembly is secured thereto by the deformable tabs 84- which operatelike the tabs 76 of the form of invention of Figures 810. Notches 85 areformed in the rear wall 8 2 to permit passage of the tabs 84 past therear wall.

It is clear from the foregoing that the forms of the invention ofFigures 8-10 and 11 are readily attached to the mask 60 without anymodification of the latter. It is apparent, likewise, that only a slightmodification would be necessary to attach this adapter to the mask ofFigure 1 or other forms of standard masks.

Moreover, it is clear that in all species of the invention, an adequateand continuous supply of air is fed to the interior of the respiratorcup. At the same time, an atmosphere of fresh air or air screen isformed and maintained about the wearers face whereby to accomplish theobjects of the invention.

While we have shown and described what are now thought to be thepreferred embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that thesame is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, we donot limit ourselves to the precise species shown and describedhereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

We claim:

1. In an oronasal respirator including a cup and means for supplying airunder pressure to said cup, said means including an air line; theimprovement comprising a tubular fitting operatively connected to saidair line, said fitting having two tubular branch conduits, one of saidbranch conduits being operatively connected to said cup to supply air tothe interior thereof, a manifold carried by the other branch conduit,means readily detachably connecting said manifold to said cup forwardlythereof, and said manifold being formed with means for forming an airscreen forwardly of said cup.

2. In an oronasal respirator including a cup, an air inlet fitting, andan air supply line; the improvement comprising an adapter for connectingsaid line to said fitting, said adapter comprising a tubular stemoperatively connected to said line and two diverging tubular branchconduits, one of said branch conduits being operatively connected tosaid air inlet fitting for conducting air to the interior of said cup,said cup including an air exhaust fitting having a portion extendingexteriorly thereof, means readily detachably connecting said otherbranch conduit to said portion, and said last named branch conduitincluding means for forming an air screen forwardly of said cup.

3. A respirator according to claim 2, wherein said last named meanscomprises a manifold carried by the second branch conduit.

4. In an oronasal air line respirator including a cup, separate airinlet and exhaust fittings, and an air line for supplying air underpressure to said cup; the improvement comprising an adapter having atubular stem operatively connected to said air line and two tubularbranches, one of said branches operatively engaging said inlet fitting,a manifold carried by the other of said branches, said manifold beingformed with air discharge ports for forming an air screen forwardly ofsaid cup,

said manifold being of substantially the same size and shape as saidexhaust fitting, and means for readily detachably connecting saidmanifold onto said exhaust fitting.

5. An oronasal respirator according to claim 4, wherein said stem andbranches comprise a symmetrical Y, and said branches being of equaldiameter and capacity.

6. An oronasal respirator according to claim 4, said exhaust fittingincluding laterally directed exhaust ports, connecting means on saidmanifold and insertable into said exhaust ports of said exhaust fittingcomprising said means for readily detachably connecting said manifold tosaid exhaust fitting.

7. An oronasal respirator according to claim 6, wherein said connectingmeans comprise a plurality of deformable tabs.

8. An oronasal respirator according to claim 7, wherein said manifoldincludes an impervious rear wall bearing on said exhaust fitting.

9. An oronasal respirator according to claim 4, wherein said manifoldcomprises a rearwardly opening cup telescopically receiving said exhaustfitting therein, and radially inwardly directed stops on said manifoldto limit the entrance of said exhaust fitting therein.

10. In an oronasal respirator including a cup, an air inlet fitting andan air supply line; the improvement comprising an adapter for connectingsaid line to said air inlet fitting, said adapter comprising a tubularstem operatively connected to said line and two diverging tubular branchconduits, one of said branch conduits being operatively connected tosaid inlet fitting for supplying air to the interior of said cup, amanifold, means readily detachably connecting said manifold to said cupforwardly and centrally thereof, means operatively connecting the otherbranch conduit to said manifold for supplying air to the interiorthereof, and said manifold being formed with a plurality of forwardlydirected discharge ports for forming an air screen forwardly of saidcup.

11. In an oronasal respirator including a cup, means for supplying airunder pressure to the interior thereof, and an air exhaust fittinghaving an exterior portion disposed outwardly of said cup and forwardlythereof; the improvement comprising a conduit containing air underpressure, said conduit having a discharge end, means for readilydetachably connecting said discharge end to said exterior portion ofsaid discharge fitting, and said dis charge end of said conduitincluding means for forming an air screen forwardly of said cup.

12. In an oronasal respirator including a cup, means for supplying airunder pressure to the interior thereof, and an air exhaust fittinghaving an exterior portion disposed outwardly and forwardly of said cup;the improvement comprising a conduit containing air under pressure, saidconduit having a discharge end, a manifold operatively connectetd tosaid discharge end of said conduit and receiving air under pressuretherefrom, means readily detachably connecting said manifold to saidexterior portion of said discharge fitting, and said manifold includingmeans for forming an air screen forwardly of said cup.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,646,103 Patrick Oct. 18, 1927 2,066,706 Watters Ian. 5, 1937 2,333,054Sullivan Oct. 26, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,098,537 France Mar. 9, 1955

